TREND: Espumas elevate your creations to a higher level

Nowadays, spumas (It.), espumas (Es), écumes (Fr.) have become
an established technique throughout the western culinary world.
Since Ferran Adrià, of the famous Spanish restaurant El Bulli,
brought a new dimension to this whipping technique using a siphon,
he has managed to inspire numerous publications, applications and
workshops. Espumas, foams, mousses, emulsions, sauces …

Espumas are in
This technique is a simple but fashionable
addition to cocktails, desserts and hot drinks, and is
easy to learn. Updating a range doesn’t always have to be expensive
or time-consuming. Siphons were originally developed to turn liquid
cream into whipped cream, and to put a fizz or bubbles in a soft
drink using a simple, not too laborious, method. The success of
ready-to-use cans of whipped cream meant that siphons were
forgotten to some extent, however today they have become a popular
tool for introducing a modern and contemporary edge to dishes.

What you need
Preferably a stainless steel siphon. Not just for
reasons of hygiene and durability, but also due to its ability to
conduct hot and cold temperatures. Plastic, on the other hand, is
less resistant to fluctuations in temperature and frequent use of
the screw cap and gas screw lead to quicker wear and tear and gas
leaks.
Gas: two types of gas can be used. Gas capsules
contain 8 g of either N20 or CO2. We stick to cream capsules (N20
or nitrogen oxide). N2O pushes and compresses the liquid cream,
which is sprayed out by the gas as a foam; in the same way as air
is whipped into cream in the conventional manner.
Soda capsules (CO2 or carbon dioxide) are used
less frequently, but as well as soda water can also be used to make
sensational appetizers.

Method
The simplest method is to add flavour to liquid cream. Fruit
purees, coulis, vegetable (extracts), chocolate, fish, poultry: the
list is endless. Cream is one of the bases that
guarantees or determines the consistency after squirting. The
golden rule is one part cream to one part vegetable or
fruit puree. If you want to create a heavy mousse, use
more cream or add one or two sheets of soaked gelatine, provided
that the preparation process is cold. Other bases that combine
flavour and firmness are (pasteurised) egg white and yolk,
gelatine and starch. Cream and/or gelatine are not
suitable for squirting heavy, hot preparations. The most popular
hot espuma recipes contain starch (potato - pea espuma). Very solid
‘hot’ chocolate mousses can be prepared using fat and protein.